Welcome

Welcome to the POZ Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and
others concerned about HIV/AIDS. Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the
conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive
and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a
username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own
physician.

All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators
of these forums. Click here for “Am I Infected?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ community forums.

We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please
provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are
true and correct to their knowledge.

Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the
symbol in each box.

Welcome to Am I Infected

Welcome to the "Am I Infected?" POZ forum.

New members -- those who have posted three or fewer messages -- are permitted to post questions and responses, free of charge (make them count!). Ongoing participation in the "Am I Infected?" forum -- posting more than three questions or responses -- requires a paid subscription.

A seven-day subscription is $9.99, a 30-day subscription is $14.99 and a 90-day subscription is $24.99.

Anyone who needs to post more than three messages in the "Am I Infected?" forum -- including past, present and future POZ Forums members -- will need to subscribe, with secure payments made via PayPal.

There will be no charge to continue reading threads in the "Am I Infected?" forum, nor will there be a charge for participating in any of the Main Forums; Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits; and Off Topic Forums. Similarly, all POZ pages, including our "HIV Transmission and Risks" and "Am I Infected? (A Guide to Testing for HIV)" basics, will remain accessible to all.

NOTE: HIV testing questions will still need to be posted in the "Am I Infected?" forum; attempts to post HIV symptoms or testing questions in any other forums will be considered violations of our rules of membership and subject to time-outs and permanent bans.

To learn how to upgrade your Forums account to participate beyond three posts in the "Am I Infected?" Forum, please click here.

Thank you for your understanding and future support of the best online support service for people living with, affected by and at risk for HIV.

Author
Topic: back :( (Read 3379 times)

I read alot about people being nervous of being postiive and told myself I wouldn't post...but I guess I just can't help it.

I did something stuipd about 6 weeks ago in Hong Kong, I had sex with a girl with a condom, but I did give oral briefly with no protection.

Now 6 weeks later I got what I think is the flu or a severe cold (bad cough, body aches, headache, general weakness) and can't help thinking if it could possibly be HIV. Now I did do a PCR DNA test almost two weeks ago which came back negative (along with all the other std's), but this flu got me pretty worried. I never get this sick, it's at least very rare, so it makes me wonder.

One other thing...I do have a girlfriend, and didn't have unprotected sex with her until after I got the results, a few days ago we did have unprotected sex and she's just as sick as I am now...which should pretty much reassure me it's just a cold/flu but could she have gotten HIV from me and got the same exact symptoms just 3 days later? Probably not...I guess I could use some reassuring words....how comfortable should I feel with the PCR DNA test? I took that test just a little ove 30 days after and felt pretty good about the results...now that I've been sick for 4 days I'm back to worrying again.

You didn't have a risk of hiv infection in the first place. You used a condom for intercourse and condoms have been proven to prevent hiv transmission. Going down on a woman is not a risk for hiv infection, period.

Although PCR testing is not recommended for diagnostic purposes because of a high rate of false positives, a negative PCR at four weeks coupled with the fact that you didn't have a risk means you are hiv negative.

You and your girlfriend have the flu. Keep warm and drink plenty of fluids and if you are worried about it, see your doctor.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I've posted here about half a year ago (with a diff name) and I'm getting a little worried again. About 7 months or so ago I was in Hong Kong, I got drunk and slept with a sex worker, we used a condom but she blew me for a while without one, and I also gave her oral for a few minutes (if that). I felt really guilty about the whole thing since i have a gf at home and I was getting worried about HIV. I avoided sex with her for about a month and got a PCR DNA test (after 30 days or so) which came back negative, I was so happy about it the results and felt so confident with them I started having sex with my gf again, and never got further testing.

Now two days ago I suddenly had a burning sensation when urinating which went away, but the next and today I'm having this pain in my testicles...it's not hurting so badly I can't walk but it's there and it's getting really annoying, not to mention making me paranoid...if it doesn't go away by the time I wake up tommorow I'm going to take a half day and see a doctor about it...but right now I can't stop thinking about the possibility that I have HIV again. My gf has also been very tired the past week and she has no insurance to go to the dr so she has no idea why she has no energy lately. It would be bad enough if I have the virus, but if I hurt my gf I would probably end up jumping off a cliff or something.

Believe me this tought me a lesson...opportunities have come up and I thought about my fear 7 months ago and I don't even think twice about being tempted. I love my gf, we're buying a house soon and I just want this to be behind me.

Anyway what do you think of the possibility of that DNA test being wrong? Am I just being paranoid because of the pain I'm feeling?

I tested the same time I got the PCR DNA test so about 30 days later. I hate to be one of those guys that keeps posting even after people say "it's not HIV" and told myself that wouldn't be me...but I guess I see why they do it now.

I just can't shake it off...hopefully I get some good news from the doc tommorow (I'll take anything that's curable!).

You were at risk for possibly other STDs, guilt and anxiety, but not HIV in this recent incident. You used a condom for intercourse. That's the most important. They provide very effective protection. The other details were not putting you at risk for HIV.

If your uncomfortable symptoms persist you need to discuss them with your doctor. This is NOT an HIV situation. For future reference, excessive drinking and casual sex make for a dangerous combination and ought to be avoided.

Good luck with getting whatever else is going on squared away. Whatever it is, it isn't HIV for sure.

I've merged the thread you posted with your original account. You should be aware that creating more than one account here is not permitted. If you create a third account, you will be banned, no questions asked. I'm giving you the benefit of doubt that you forgot your original account details - but write them down this time. You will not be given another chance to comply with the rules of this forum.

You didn't have a risk for hiv in Hong Kong. However, unless you and your girlfriend have tested negative for all STIs BEFORE you started having unprotected intercourse, then you BOTH need to test. It's not just sex workers who become infected you know. For all you know (unless you've tested together) your girlfriend may have been infected before you even met her.

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL STIs together.To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Not only do you and your girlfriend need to have complete sexual health care check-ups before you carry on having unprotected intercourse, but you also need to read those forum posting guidelines. You have been posting questions in another person's thread when you should keep ALL your additional thoughts or questions in THIS, your OWN thread. ONLY.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts